Santa Prisca; July 19th, 00:43 ECT

The alarms blare in a warehouse, complete with red bubbling fluid in every tank. The source of the alarm is a group of intruders is Bane and two other men.

Surrounded by guards on the ground and guards on the catwalks cocking their rifles.

Kobra Agent: "Nuestro Maestro sublime proclama que él saldrá de esta instalación... si... uno de ustedes derrota a su campeón en combate singular." A kobra agent tells the trapped trespassers (Our sublime Master proclaims he will depart this facility... if... one of you defeats his champion in single combat.)

Bane pushes aside the foot soldiers that came with him, walking to the gated door with pride. A buzzer goes off and Bane holds the door.

Bane: "Solo que se interesante." (Just make it interesting.)

Then he shoves the door open and walks in.
The soldier smirks as the door shuts behind Bane.

Inside Bane sees that there are many more soldiers on the interlocking catwalks, all of them armed with rifles. A buzzer goes off, drawing the bodybuilder's attention to the door on the other side of the arena. Where two people stand. Both of them blonde-brunettes with black pants and boots, and blue tank tops that cut off to expose their stomachs. Only the male walks through, but he's thin which gets Bane's attention, albeit with confusion.

Behind Bane, a black gauntlet with red tubes on it, attached to a long clear tube falls to the floor. He picks it up, confused.

Bane:"¿Me devuelto mi mayor arma? ¿Cuál es el truco?" (You give me back my greatest weapon? What's the catch?)

Solider:"Ningún truco. No sería una prueba de la destreza de su campeón si no estuviera en su mejor." (No catch. It would hardly be a test of his champion's prowess if you were not at your best.)

Bane attaches the gauntlet. He activates the venom feed as he connects to the back of his head. His pupils dilating as he grunts the Venom flowing through his body. As it finishes, he's panting and turning towards his opponent and cracks his neck

Bane:"¿Quieres mi mejor? Lo conseguiste." (You want my best? You got it.)

His opponent hasn't moved, though the girl behind him steps up with a needle gun filled with a purple serum which she injects into his shoulder. The effect is immediate, his eyes shrink to pinpricks as his hair stands nearly on end. He stumbles forward, his head held in his hands as he falls to his knees. His shoulder grows massively, ripping his shirt. Bane watches closer. The choker around his neck rips off as he grows fangs, and his body grows to match his arm's size. His skin turns green-grey with red slashes.

The girl closes the door. Panting, he gets off his knees, and charges at Bane with a roar. The downward punch is caught, Bane slides a foot or so back, but doesn't fall. Returning the feat with a solid uppercut to his opponent's jaw. The cross Bane throws to his chest does nothing, and he smirks down at Bane.

Grabbing the back of his neck in his hand before uppercutting him in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Then following up with another uppercut and a cross to Bane's face before he can fully fall back Bane is grabbed by his wrist and thrown into the wall. Landing on all fours and his head on his arm.

Leaving no room to react, Bane is hit again as he stands, denting the pipe behind him shut and increasing the pressure in the pipe exponentially. Steam envelopes the two as Bane is grabbed by the back of his neck again and thrown out of the steam. His opponent jumping after him, nailing Bane in the face hard enough to create a Bane-sized crater under him.

The power of the strike brings some people to stop, even one looks away.

Mammoth groans, then falling unconscious.

"Hail Kobra." the soldier says. "Hail Kobra." he says louder.

All begin to chant. "Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra."

Above them Kobra stands arms crossed and pleased. And he had a necklace which is appears to be the next talisman.

Outside the facility are even more Kobra followers, guarding the entire island.
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Caribbean Sea; July 22nd, 20:08 ECT

The Team is in the BioShip and en-route to their first official mission.

M'gann: "We're approaching Santa Prisca."

Nathan: "I get the feeling that one of talismans are in the island somewhere."

M'gann checks on the HoloScreen to show them what the next talisman is.

M'gann: "It's a Pig Talisman."

M'gann tells them. Dick is thinking back on the debrief.

*Flashback*

Batman showing the Team the map of the island, all stand watching, but Wally is also eating chips, the display changes to show the shots of the warehouse. Once again, the profile changes back to the island map said drop zones appear on the map.

Batman: "Isla Santa Prisca. This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neuro-steroid, a strength-enhancing drug sold under the street name Venom. The infrared heat signatures indicate that their factory is operating at full capacity, but all shipments of Venom have inexplicably cut off. That's where this Team comes in. This is a covert recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene, it will. The plan requires two drop zones."

Dick: "So, who's in charge?"

Dick asks getting Batman and Red Tornado to whip around and face the Boy Wonder before exchanging glances.

Batman: "Work that out between you."

Batman commands, Dick nods a smile forming on his face. Which is still there as he refocuses.

*End of Flashback*

M'gann: "Drop Zone A in 30."

M'gann announces, startling the thirteen-year-old and getting him to look back at her, and Kaldur. Who stands as the straps remove themselves. Even his chair disappears as he stands up.

He hits his symbol, and his suit turns from navy blue and red with black accents to dark grey and black accents.

Kaldur: "Ready."

M'gann: "Putting BioShip in Camouflage Mode."

She says as they come within eyesight of the island. Over the water a hole in the base of the BioShip forms, Kaldur dropping out and diving into the water below.
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Under the water, he avoids sunken mines and slices through a rope net with his WaterBearer that turns into a sword.

He jumps out of the water and onto the raining beach, just out of sight of the cameras. Placing a silver and red disruptor on top of it.

Kaldur: "Heat and motion sensors are patched." he tells the team through his comm. "Data is now on a continuous loop. Move in."

Above him, the Bioship's outline is barely noticeable.
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M'gann: "Drop Zone B."

M'gann: says as they stop over a break in the canopy. All the remaining members stand as their straps and chairs fade into the ship's floor. M'gann raises a hand and lines fall from the ceiling which Dick and Wally don't hesitate to attach to. Nathan grabbed a hold of one of the lines

Once attached, Wally raises his hand to his lightning bolt emblem. The white turning light grey as the yellow turns to a darker grey and his goggles turn almost black, his red accents remaining as he looks it over with a smile.

Wally: "How cool is this?"

M'gann: "Very impressive."

M'gann says, before her own clothes change, her blue boots and skirt become a skin-tight full-body suit, all black and accented with the same red X and edging like on Martian Manhunter. Only her cape remains blue.

Wally: "Uh, that works too. Hey, Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech."

Superboy: "No capes, no tights. No offense."

M'gann: "It totally works for you."

Superboy glances over at her, and she stands up straighter and stops leaning her head on her hand.

M'gann: "In that, you can totally do good work in those clothes. What about you, Phantom, do you have stealth mode in your suit?

Nathan: "Uh, M'gann?"

M'gann: "Right, you're wearing a ninja suit.

Superboy: "And he can blend in the shadows."

Superboy looks away, and M'gann brings her hood over her head and disappears from sight before dropping out of the ship.

She, Nathan, Wally, and Dick hit with small thuds. Realizing Superboy's not beside them, they glance up and yelp before diving to the side. Just narrowly avoid Superboy as he hits the ground hard enough to create a boom and a two-foot-deep crater.

Superboy: "Knew I didn't need a line."

Nathan: "And yet, creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the ＂covert＂."

Nathan grumbles as he stands up from the base of the tree he threw himself into. Dick and Wally comes out of the forest from the other direction and M'gann comes back down to the ground.

M'gann: "Aqualad, Drop B is a go."
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Aqualad climbs a cliff with ease.

Kaldur: "Head to the factory. I'll track your GPS and meet you ASAP."
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Dick: "Roger that."

Dick says, looking down at his HoloGlove which has a map of the island, as Nathan, Superboy and M'gann stand at their full height and look over his head on his right and Wally is crouched over his left shoulder.

Then all five take off to the factory. Passing through the forest, under a waterfall, before ending up back in the forest.
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Back in trappable terrain, Dick pulls up his HoloGlove which shows off mines that have been set around them, then the safest and straightest path to the factory.

There's rustling in the forest, but a snap of a twig catches Superboy's full attention and stops him short.

Superboy: "Did you hear that?"

Wally: "Uh, no... Wait. Is this a Super-Hearing thing?"

M'gann: "You do have great ears."

M'gann comments. Neither boy comments. Nathan rolled his eyes snickered.

Wally: "Okay, Rob, now what?"

Wally asks, but Dick is once again gone.

Wally: "Man, I hate it when he does that."

Nathan: "Focus. Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared, see if you're being tracked."

Nathan commands them. Wally smirks and drops his goggles down over his eyes. Immediately picking up on heat signatures further down the trail.

Wally: "Got a squad of armed bozos incoming."

Nathan: "Good. Let's go."

The four, run further forward, but only because they can duck behind a rock and fallen tree to avoid being seen. Superboy looks in the opposite direction of Wally.

Superboy: "Two squads. But they'll meet each other before they find us."

Gunfire commences. Clearly, they aren't on the same side, which is good news for the Team.

Wally: "No Super-Hearing required now."

Kaldur: "Swing wide, steer clear."

Kaldur commands as Kid steps forward to be next to Superboy.

Wally: "Yeah- yeah, just as soon as I find Rob."

Wally tells him, then vaults over the tree, running down the trail. The trail is wet, and he loses his footing, falling down the hill and right into the firefight. As he falls, he looks up to find a surprised Bane to confirm that he's seeing things right; he even lifts his goggles off his eyes.

Wally: "So much for the stealthy."

Bane's surprise only lasts a moment before he starts firing rapidly at Wally, running away doesn't help him much as it gains the attention of the Kobra soldiers as well.

Superboy charges ahead, taking Bane's blind spot and tackling him to the ground. Or at least attempting to, Bane gets himself over the teen and slams him into the soft ground. He goes for a wrist-lock on his captive right arm but finds Superboy overpowering him. Grabbing his shirt and throwing him into a tree.

Nathan fights off ten assailants. He dodged them with such grace. One of them tried to cut him with a knife, but Nathan grabbed the soldier's arm and twisted, making him dropped the knife and knocked him. Four more assailants surrounded Nathan, they throw many punches and kicks at him but Nathan blocking and dodging, then he grabbed one of their arm, straight punched him in the face, wheel kicked two more, and delivered the last assailant a solid roundhouse kick. Five assailants charged at Nathan, and he uses Earth Attack to slammed them into a concrete wall, they fell down to the ground.

Wally continues to evade the bullets, and two of the men see a shadow pass over them, looking up Dick drops right on top of one of them.

Dick: "What is wrong with you guys?"

He questions, uppercutting the other and following up with a side-kick to get his bubble back.

Dick: "Remember covert? Why didn't you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?"

Wally hits another assailant, backing him up into the clearing.

Wally: "That's what you were doing?"

Then hitting him with a front kick to the chin then completing a full flip before landing on the ground again.

Wally: "Way to fill us in. We're mind readers you know."

M'gann throws another two assailants into the tree behind him telekinetically

Wally: "Er, I'm not anyway."

M'gann: "You told me I could only read the bad guys' minds."

Dick's attention turns, hearing one run away. He pulls out a disk to throw at him, but instead, the Kobra soldier is stopped short by Kaldur dropping right in front of him. Not sure what to do as the Atlantean places his hand on his chest, and his tattoos glow before he zaps him right in the chest. Stepping on the communicator that fell out of his hand, which crunches under his barefoot.
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Dick: "I recognize those uniforms."

Dick says, looking at most of the assailants that all now tied to the trees.

Dick: "They belong to the Cult of The Kobra."

Wally: "I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation."

He tells the Boy Wonder, not letting him leave his sight in fear that he will disappear again.

Dick: "Agreed."

Dick says, putting no fault on his mentor.

Dick: "And since there's no love lost between the cultists and those goons,"

He puts his hand on his chin as it all suddenly becomes clear.

Dick: "I'm betting they came in and tossed them out. That's why normal supply lines have been cut off."

Wally: "We get it. Kobra wanted super cultists." "Radio Bats and we'll be home in time for-"

Dick: "These cultists aren't on Venom. We don't leave. Not until I know why."

Wally: "Until you know why?"

Wally questions, leaning forward to get right in front of the boy's mask covered eyes.

Dick: "This team needs a leader."

Dick says strongly, standing up straighter.

Wally: "And it's you?!"

Wally questions, annoyance clear as he steps into Dick's personal space.

Wally: "Dude, you're a thirteen-year-old kid who ducked out on us without a word."

Dick laughs for a few seconds.

Dick: "And you're a mature fifteen? You blew our cover first chance you got."

To the side, Miss M'gann and Superboy can only look on in silence. Until Miss M speaks up.

M'gann: "Don't you want to lead?"

The Kryptonian shakes his head and scoffs, then turns to look at Miss M out of the corner of his eye.

Superboy: "You?"

Mgy nearly leans back and puts her hand up as if to shove the idea away from her physically.

M'gann: "After the Mister Twister fiasco?"

Superboy smiles, looking at her directly.

Superboy: "You did alright."

M'gann's cheeks turn bright red as she looks away and tucks her hair behind her ear. However, Superboy doesn't notice as he hears someone come to behind him.

His super-hearing picks up on the Spanish with ease. "Míralos, argumenten. Liberarte y asumirlos mientras están distraídos." (Look at them argue. Free yourselves and take them while they're distracted.) It's one of Bane's lackeys.

Bane: "Callade!" Bane hisses at the other man tied to the tree. "Por el momento lo llamaré. Y entonces me darán lo que necesito." (Quiet! For now, I'll call {play along}. (very similar meaning slightly different wording.) {And then} They'll give me what I need.)

Superboy smirks, understanding every word and knowing just how to play Bane at his own game. Though he's mildly distracted when Wally shouts again.

Wally: "Yeah? You don't even have SuperPowers!"

He sees Wally go to walk away from the conversation, but the Boy Wonder follows close behind.

Dick: "Neither does Batman!"

Wally: "Duh, you're not Batman."

Dick: "Chuh, closest thing we've got."

Nathan: "Alright, you two, knock it off!"

Nathan gave the two boys a double karate chop to the heads to shut them up.

Dick and Wally: "Ow!"

As Bane finally gives his consciousness away to the three teens, three boys snap their heads in his direction. Nathan narrowed his eyes, Wally is still annoyed, but Dick's eyes go wide.

Bane: "Such clever niños. But you only know half the story."

Bane baits them and the whole Team now steps in so they can see Bane.

Bane: "Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

M'gann: "There is a secret entrance "but he's also hiding something."

M'gann steps up then she kneels down and places her hand on her temple to further concentrate and her eyes glow white.

Bane: "Ah, ah, ah chica. Bane is not that easy.

M'gann's eyes still glow but she loses her intensity.

M'gann: "Ohh. He's mentally reciting fútbol scores en Español. This could take a while."

Bane speaks up before anyone else does.

Bane: "It's not complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Behind M'gann, the boys exchange a look, then eventually nod.

Nathan: "Let's go. Robin, did you find out where the pig talisman is, yet?"

Dick uses his HoloGlove to locate the pig talisman, but suddenly his HoloGlove detected another talisman.

Dick: "That's weird, it says that there's another talisman nearby."

They all looked around to the find the Talisman. Nathan sees a beautiful tree, it looks like a thousand years old. Then he sees something glowing in the on the ground and it has a symbol of a dog, he picked it up from the ground.

Nathan: "A dog talisman, I wonder what can of power if have.

Nathan puts the dog talisman in his pocket and Bane leads them away.
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Somewhere in the Light's Lair

Vandel: "I sense that the children are here to find the talismans, it's only a matter of time for they collect all twelve."

Shendu: "Then perhaps, you need assistance with.."

Shendu use his dark magic to summon an army of dark ninjas know as.

Shendu: "The Shadowkhan."

Vandel: "Perfect. *To the Shadowkhan* Destroy the young heroes, find the talismans and bring them here."

The Shadowkhan bow down and vanished into the shadows.
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In the factory, they are still creating Venom.

Kobra Solider: "Sublime Master, he approaches."

One of the soldiers says as Kobra comes to a stop beside him.

Kobra: "Activate the radio-jamming net. Nothing must interfere."

The soldier nods, bows, and leaves.

On top of a cliff, the Team and Bane can see the factory clearly. Bane stops about three feet from the edge, pointing. Both Dick and Wally both step up to get a closer look. Wally with his goggles, Dick with a pair of binoculars. What he sees is a forklift and containers by a helipad.

Dick: "Look at all that product." Dick mutters, shocked. "A buy is going down." Bane walks away, but the Team remains. "But if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects, then-"

Kaldur: "We need to identify that buyer."

Wally: "Just what I was thinking."

Wally agrees, lifting his goggles as he stands up straighter.

Dick: "Yeah. You're the thinker."

Dick says with a smirk as he stands up.

Wally: "Sarcasm?" "Dude. A real leader would focus on getting answers."

All four are observing Bane as he lifts a giant rock away from the entrance to an old mine. The only point of his efforts is a few grunts. While M and Superboy exchange a slight look of confusion.

Bane: "Answers are this way."

Bane says simply, gesturing down the mine tunnel. All six teens join him to look down the tunnel. Bane says nothing as he heads towards the tunnel.

Wally: "So. Now el Luchador is our leader."

Wally comments angrily and slightly sarcastic. Dick stalks past him, using the back of his hand to smack Wally's cheek. Wally turns to Superboy, M'gann, Nathan, and Kaldur with a shrug.
____________________________________________
The Team and Bane walk down the mine until they come to a metal door, which Bane uses his fingerprint to unlock. Which leads them right to a door on the factory floor.

Bane props the door open slightly, giving Dick just enough room to get a full look around the- now confirmed to be- empty floor.

Dick"All clear."

He vocalizes before running out of the doorway. The others follow but, once they get to another hidden location Dick is nowhere in sight.

Bane: "Has that little fool already been captured?"

Bane questions, annoyance at the possibility of their infiltration being compromised rising.

Nathan: "No," "he just does that."

Kaldur: "Everytime."

Kid Flash slides his goggles over his eyes with ease. "Stay put. I'll get our intel and be back before Boy Wonder." by the time he finishes the sentence he's already running.

Nathan reaches out as he sees Wally's movement but doesn't get hold.

Nathan: "Wait, Kid!"

Bane watches as the grey and red streak disappears, looking to Nathan with a smug smile.

Bane: "Great chain of command."

He continues his jabs at Nathan with the sarcasm and the continued smugness in those four simple words.

The four remaining teens share a look. While over their heads Dick runs across the catwalk and up the stairs to the command center.
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Inside the command center, a Kobra agent is working on the computers. There's a small swish before a Batarang hits the computer console beside him, causing it to spark. As he turns to look, green gas is released from the Batarang. The agent coughs then passes out.

Dick holds no qualms as he grabs the back of his cloak and drops his upper body to the ground with a thud. Then taking the chair and sitting down at the computer.
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Kaldur, Nathan, M'gann, and Superboy are all crouched behind an unused assembly line, while Bane hides in the shadows of a crate stack.

Nathan: "Whooooa."

Kaldur: "It's a massive shipment."

Superboy: "Yeah, but they're only taking new product off the line. They're not touching this Venom."

As a forklift drives away, they turn towards each other. "Maybe freshness counts?" Miss Martian offers, unsure, but figuring a one-off guess is better than nothing.

Superboy's focus changes as he looks in the opposite direction they just were.

Superboy: "Helicopter's coming."

He says, out of instinct the other two follow his gaze. Bane's eyes narrow as all five look out the small skylight.

It takes a few moments, but then they start to be able to hear the helicopter's blades as it approaches.
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The computer Dick's on is beeping away as he runs over the chemical formula for the agent. Listing off HB2Ca4, Cs2Ho4, PH4Mo8, and Ca1Hg6.

Wally zooms in, skidding to a stop and taking a bite out of something, then proceeding to talk with food in his mouth.

Wally: "What you got?"

Dick: "Chemical formulas."

Dick says, hunching a little closer to the keyboard as if that would help him work faster. Ever the science nerd Wally joins him at the computer.

Dick: "I'm guessing it involves Venom, but..."

He trails unsure, but also not even pausing as Wally takes another loud bite out of the bar in his hand.

Wally: "This one's Venom."

Wally says, as if he's talking to a three-year-old and using his bar to point at the screen. As the screen shows another compound he continues.

Wally: "This one's-" Whoa. The Blockbuster formula from Cadmus."

They watch as the two begin to merge on screen.

Wally: "Mixed correctly, Kobra's new juice is three times stronger than Venom... and permanent."

He realizes horrified. Then turns to Dick.

Wally: "But how did Kobra get access to Project Blockbuster?"

Dick: "Our mystery buyer must also be Kobra's supplier! Using the cult to create the Blockbuster-Venom superformula."

Dick stands up, his hand going to his ear.

Dick: "Robin to Ronin we got-"

Wally turns away from the computer as he hears Dick stop.

Dick: "... static."
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From out of the helicopter's opening doors the shadows clear, revealing a buff white man with blonde hair. In a black-on-black outfit and his facial features covered by a grey hockey mask. As he walks between two lines of the cult his matching forearm and shoulder-upper arm guards show.

Sportsmaster: "Lord Kobra." he greets.

Kobra: "Sportsmaster."

Kobra returns, as the girl from before steps up.

Kobra: "The shipment is ready."

She opens the box to reveal the blue vials.
Sportsmaster takes one, holding it up to look at it.

Sportsmaster: "The new Kobra-Venom?"

Kobra gestures to Mammoth.

Kobra: "A complete success. Our friends will not be disappointed."

Sportsmaster: "This is a game-changer."

Sportsmaster proudly states, flipping the vial to catch it in his fist.

Sportsmaster: "Finally, we can go mano-a-mano with the Justice League."

Above them, M'gann uses her camouflage, even though she is basically invisible her eyes begin to glow.

M'gann: (telepathic link) "Aqualad, Phantom Ninja, sending you a telepathic image of the buyer now."
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In the factory, on a catwalk. Bane and Superboy keep watch while Kaldur and Nathan ha their eyes closed to see M'gann's telepathic image.

Nathan: "Sportsmaster."

Kaldur: "He is the buyer?"

He questions, looking to Superboy shocked. Then brings his hand up to his ear.

Kaldur: "Aqualad to Red Tornado. Do you read?"

He gets the same results as Dick. He huffs in annoyance.

Nathan: "What's wrong?"

Kaldur: "Can't reach the League, Robin, or Kid. Comm's jammed. We need a plan now."

Bane is all too pleased with his opening.

Bane: "I have a suggestion."

Then he jumps over the rail with a battle cry.

Two Kobra agents look to the source, shocked to see Bane. He lands just before them, shoving one to the side with ease and pushing the other's arm to ensure his aim is only to the ceiling.
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From outside they hear the gunshots.
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Kaldur: "What is he-"

Kaldur begins, only to be cut off by Mammoth's battle cry and he charges at the window behind them. Shattering it and taking down the catwalk. Three boys land away from the rubble, but so does Mammoth. Who roars to catch everyone's full attention.

Kobra: "Destroy them."

Kobra commands. In an instant Blockbuster charges at the three infiltrators. Nathan sees the pig talisman on Kobra's neck.

Nathan: "There's the talisman."

Then, Nathan's superhuman senses alerted, when a shuriken flying right at his head, and Nathan caught it.

Superboy: "What was that?"

Then, the unexpectedly has happened. Everyone sees the Shadowkhan coming out of the shadows.

M'gann: "Who those guys?"

Nathan: "The real question is, What are they?"

The Ninja Khan brought out their weapons and everyone beings to fight.

Superboy meets Mammoth halfway, in comparison to Mammoth, he's plenty small enough to get under his arms and catch his torso. However, due to the size difference Mammoth grabs Superboy's waist from behind with efficiency.

Kaldur's tattoos begin to glow as he reaches behind his shoulders to take out his WaterBearers. The Kobra agents start firing on him and the Ninja Khan threw their shurikens but can't land a hit as he crouches behind a shield and uses his other WaterBearer to fire non-lethal projectiles at their chests and knock them out.

Meanwhile, Bane hides, away from the action, chuckling to himself.

M'gann flies in and starts throwing agents around, but Sportsmaster can clearly see her despite the camouflage.

Kaldur continues to shoot projectiles while Superboy gets launched into a large container by Blockbuster behind him. Getting a massive uppercut that pins him back to the container, he punches Blockbuster in the face from his pinned position. Knocking his assailant back and giving him plenty of room to land back on his feet. Then charge at Blockbuster once more.

Sportsmaster's eyes continue to narrow as he brings out a rod. Which then extends to form a sharp point that he throws at M'gann. She just barely manages to dodge, but it blows up right beside her. Knocking her away and hitting her hard enough to turn off her camouflage.

Nathan is surrounded by 20 Ninja Khan

Nathan: "You guys must have started the abridge book of ninja fighting."

They charged at him. Nathan double kicked two Ninja Khan and crescent kicked another one. Five of the Ninja Khan tried to sliced Nathan with their katana blades, but dodges them with a backflip, somersault, and a twist flip, he landed and sweeped one of them off their feet. A Ninja Khan tried to stab Nathan in the chest, but he dodged, grabbed its arm, elbowed in the gut, throws a left hook jab and roundhouse tornado kicked in its face.

Nathan: "I mean, come on. How do you guys expect to beat me and my team?"

When Nathan asked them, more Shadowkhan coming out of the shadows.

Nathan: "Good answer. Good answer.

Superboy and Mammoth continue to exchange punches as Dick runs along the catwalk over their head. Wally runs behind him and both come to a stop to watch over the chaos.

Wally runs off, while Dick remains, and he gains a mischievous look before he runs back the way he came.

Kaldur is now standing upright but is being backed up despite his shield and projectiles. Ducking behind some piping he can put down his WaterBearers, but then finds two more Ninja Khan on his other side.

Before they can fire Wally runs in and slams his feet into both their chests to knock them out and back. Only for three more to arrive on the catwalk over where the two now lay unconscious. He barely ducks behind a pillar to avoid getting shot.

Nathan uses Weapon Craft to create a Bo Staff and whacked some Kobra agents and Ninja. He reaches for his comm, but it's jammed.

Nathan: "Miss Martian, radio is jammed." "Link us up!"

Behind the men shooting Kaldur and Nathan she's slowly coming to. Her eyes widen as she processes what she heard, bringing her hand to her head.

M'gann: (telepathic link) "Everyone online?"

Nathan: (telepathic link) "Yep."

Superboy: (telepathic link) "Yeah."

Wally: (telepathic link) "You know it, beautiful."

Nathan: (telepathic link) Kid now is not the time to be flirting for now we need to retreat and regroup.

Dick: (telepathic link) "Busy now."
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The Boy Wonder lands at the Helicopter pad, Kobra stepping up right behind him, the girl by his side. Dick stands and turns instantly picking up on the movement.

Kobra: "Batman must be desperate if he sends whelp to task me."

Dick ignores the insult as he decides to banter with the villain instead.

Dick: "What's wrong, Koby? You look disconcerted."

Kobra: "This is beneath me. Shimmer, take him."

Kobra commands. Shimmer runs at the Boy Wonder, whose only response is a smirk.

Flipping over her as she gets close enough, then lands behind her. He stands back into a fighting stance.

Nathan: (telepathic link) "Robin, now."

Nathan's voice commands. The youngest grits his teeth, just barely losing concentration in time for Shimmer to come in with a punch ready.

However, Dick drops a flash grenade, giving him time to get away and leave the two alone.
____________________________________________
Nathan and Kaldur sees themselves surrounded by the Shadowkhan.

Nathan: "Double team?"

Kaldur: "Affirmative."

Then, they both combined their powers and strikes them down.

Kaldur uses his WaterBearers to create long whips and take out many of the still shooting Kobra agents.

Nathan: (telepathic link) "Strategic retreat. Kid, clear a path."

Wally takes out seven Kobra agents and nine Ninja Khan, Kaldur and Nathan running behind him and grappling above and behind the their heads. M'gann flies in behind the Boy Wonder. As he drops from his line she returns to the ground, as Superboy continues to hold off Mammoth.

Finally getting a proper hold he throws Mammoth into amassing Kobra agents to give him time to get away as well. He makes it through the door then slams it shut.

He and Aqualad are the only ones who have to take off and run, which they don't wait on as Mammoth knocks the door in.

M'gann: "Ronin, look out!"

Nathan turns around and face a giant metal door that Mammoth slammed him with. The Team has the horror expression on their faces for what they saw. Then they see a glowing light, and then...

Nathan: "Get off!"

Nathan is alive and he pushed Mammoth back with Earth Attack then he catches up with the rest of the Team, Nathan shouts a command.

Nathan: "Superboy, the support beams!"

He punches out three in succession but wasn't expecting the cave in to be so rapid. Thankfully, Miss Martian grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him away from the debris.

Forcing the Kobra agents to the same on the other side of the cave in. Mammoth takes one look and walks away.
____________________________________________
Everything is dark then they see two pair of glowing green eyes

M'gann: "Nathan, is that you?"

Nathan: "Yeah, it's me, why"?

Superboy: "Your eyes are glowing."

Nathan: "Oh yeah, it must've been my night vision."

Dick: "Forget that, how are you still alive?"

Nathan: "I don't know. Wait."

Nathan pulled the dog talisman out of his pocket and it started glowing

Nathan: "The dog talisman. It must have the power of the Immortality."

Superboy: "That explains why are you not dead."

Kaldur snaps a glow stick to create a light source. Dick stands with his back to Kaldur, looking to the cave in, while Wally leans heavily on the wall, Superboy and Nathan calmly stands beside and M'gann is on the other side.

Dick: "How can my first mission as Leader go so wrong?"

Kaldur sets down the two pieces of the glow stick, before looking to the youngest member. Kaldur and Nathan looked at each other and nodded.

Nathan: "Look, Robin. You do have the most experience. But perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared."

Wally stands and the whole group has their focus solely on the Boy Wonder's body language.

Nathan: "Fighting alongside Batman, your roles are clearly defined. You two do not need to talk. But this team is new. And a leader needs to be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play part in an unknown plan."

Dick turns and physically swipes the idea away.

Dick: "Oh, so I'm supposed to hold everyone's hands?

Nathan: "No, but a little heads up when we need it a direction on what we're supposed to do or a warning perhaps instead of just vanishing on us would be nice."

Robin: Ah, who am I kidding?" "You should lead us, Nathan. You're the only one who can."

Nathan: "Well, I don't know about -"

Wally: "Please! I can run circles-"

Dick: "Wally, come on. You know he's the one, we all do."

Kaldur: "I agree."

M'gann: "Hello, Megan! It's so obvious."

Superboy: "Coulda told ya."

Superboy concurs, leaning against a support beam slightly behind Nathan with his arms cross and actually smiling. He turns his attention towards Wally with a frown.

Wally brings his hands off his hips and over his shoulders as he shrugs, then brings his hands back to his hips and smiles.

Wally: "Okay."

Nathan: " Alright. Then I accept the burden," he says as he walks towards Dick pausing as he places his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. "until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team. Maybe not now, but soon."

Dick is smiling the whole way through the speech and confirms the terms with a small nod.

Nathan: "And on one more condition"

Nathan said before placing a hand on Kaldur's shoulder.

Nathan: "Only if you will be my second in command, Kaldur. The way you led that plan back there, if I am ever unable to lead then I know that you would take care of the team."

Kaldur smiles and nodded

Kaldur: "I accept, my friend."

He turns away and looks at all of the Team.

Nathan: "Alright guys, our first priority is to get the pig talisman and preventing that shipment from leaving the island."

Dick laughs, crosses his arms, and takes on a Wally-like smirk.

Dick: "Funny. I had the same thought."
____________________________________________
On the helipad, Sportsmaster is in the chopper while Shimmer and Kobra remain outside listening to it creak and stutter, but not start.

Sportsmaster: "Sabotage."

Sportsmaster states, considering it was running fine when he left.

Sportsmaster: "Robin?"

Kobra: "Undoubtedly."

Kobra agrees, his annoyance showing before he turns to Shimmer.

Kobra: "Find the problem. Fix it."

She bows and walks off as Sportsmaster steps beside Kobra and one of his agents and Mammoth join the two.

Kobra Agent: "Master, shall we send search parties after the intruders?"

Kobra: "Don't be absurd, they'll come to us."

Kobra snarls, walking away.
____________________________________________
Dick: "Sportsmaster's the supplier-slash-buyer."

Dick says as all six run down the mine tunnel.

Dick: "But it still doesn't track. He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula or to get Kobra to do his dirty work."

Despite having superspeed Wally remains beside Robin, though both are in the lead, with Nathan, Kaldur, and Superboy behind them, and M'gann the furthest back and in the air.

Wally: "And neither of them have the chops to bond Blockbuster with Venom. That took some major nerdage."

Kaldur: "I believe the expression is ＂tip of the iceberg＂."

Kaldur states, coming to a stop as they see Bane standing in front of their exit. Something long and metal dropping from his grip. Joining at least half a dozen more just like it on the ground.

Bane: "Halt, niños."

Bane commands, something bright green sticking out of his left hand.

Bane: "I'm feeling explosive."

Behind them are explosives on the second to last support beam, judging by the cave in they experienced they wouldn't make it out in time.

Nathan: "Of course you betrayed us."

Bane: "I want my factory back."

Nathan: (telepathic link) "Kid, you'll need a running start."

Nathan says through the mind link, the ginger does as he's told and slowly starts taking steps backward.

Bane: "So, I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying. If the latter, the Justice League would certainly come to avenge their sidekicks. And when the smoke cleared Santa Prisca would be mine once more. Blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect."

He didn't notice the blur and went to hit the button on to find it missing.

Wally: "With what? This trigger thingy?"

Bane went to go punch the ginger but was pulled back and away by an unseen force. Or rather M'gann's telekinesis. Now being held a good ten feet off the ground the others join her where Bane can see them.

Superboy drops into a fighting stance.

Superboy: "Finally."

Sounding both pleased, amused, and some frightening degree of desperate. M'gann looks to him and fully settles into his stance.

Superboy: "Drop him."

She looks up innocently as she drops her hand, the force holding Bane diminishes and he falls right into the hard uppercut from Superboy.
____________________________________________
The helicopter is now up and running again and they're loading the product once more.

Kobra Agent: "The helicopter is operational, exalted one."

An agent states the rather obvious. Sportsmaster walks back down towards the chopper with the silver box from before. Only to be stopped as Wally runs in and takes out the two furthest agents in the rows on both his sides, then over to one of the agents now shooting at him. Kicking him in the chest and knocking him away from the gun.

Kobra: "Take the shipment!"

Kobra commands. Two more agents come up behind him, and as Sportmaster goes to leave Superboy drops in, cracking the concrete mere feet away from the helicopter.

Superboy: "Go again?"

He asks Blockbuster. The monster roars, Wally takes out one other Kobra agent between the two super-strong forces, just as he gets within striking distance a stream of water takes out the monster.

Superboy: "Sorry. Not the plan." then looks over to ensure that Kaldur isn't being ambushed as he holds the water stream.

Then, the Shadowkhan appeared out of the shadows and brought out their weapons and then they charged at the young heroes.

Nathan: "We got company!"

Kaldur: "We got this one. Robin, you're with me."

Dick: "Right."

Nathan: (thought) "Conceal."

Dick and Kaldur faced off the Shadowkhan and Mammoth, and Nathan uses Shadow Stealth to sneak passed the enemies.

Sportsmaster gets behind Superboy, using the cover of the helicopter, and hits him with a bright red blast from his gun on the teen's back. He gets two more shots, then starts rapidly firing as he manages to force the clone backward. In his distraction, M'gann goes unseen.

Until she tries to swoop in and help, only for Sportsmaster to hit her hard, disabling her camouflage and get her in a chokehold. All while still shooting at Superboy.

Wally takes out one of the few remaining cultists' guns, swiping his mask in the process.

Wally: "Souvenir."

Then he continues to run as the agent falls unconscious. Shimmer and Kobra taking a step back.

Nathan: (thought) "Reveal."

In a second, a shadowy figure comes out of the shadows and knocks Shimmer to the ground with a punch in the face . Looking to the source Kobra glares at Nathan.

Nathan: "I know you hate getting your hands dirty."

Kobra: "True."

He reaches up and takes off his cloak. Revealing his shaved head and matching pale body.

Kobra: "But sometimes even a God must stoop to conquer."

Nathan smirks underneath his mask and charges at Kobra, bringing a knee up with a high jump. Only for Kobra to block it with one hand. His eyes widen, but narrow as he drops back down and goes to sweep out his feet. Kobra only needs to lift one leg. Nathan pushes off the ground once more, a roundhouse aiming right for Kobra's face. Which the Cult Leader catches with a singular hand, then front kicking the teen in the chest and watching as he flips to land on his feet once more and slide back a few feet. His teeth clenching, but he doesn't attack again.

Kobra: "What's wrong, boy? You look disconcerted."

Nathan blasted Lightning Strike at Kobra. Kobra was sent seven back and collides with a tree.

Nathan: "You were saying?"

Kobra gets and use the power of the pig talisman. His eyes are glowing and fire thermal vision from his eyes, Nathan barely dodged that.

Nathan: "Ok, that's new."

Wally runs around, taking out three more Kobra agents standing in a semicircle. The fourth remains and goes to shoot at Wally only to be shoulder checked by the super speeding streak.

Kaldur continues to push Mammoth and the Ninja Khan farther with the water stream. Putting away a WaterBearer his hand sparks like the eel that his tattoos mirror would. He touches the water to conduct the electricity. Lighting them up like a Christmas tree. His tattoos turning back to black as he puts his other WaterBearer back.

Dick blocked and dodged the Ninja Khan attacks. He punched three Ninja Khan, wheel kicked five and throws his discs and shocked them.

Still firing at Superboy and holding Miss Martian, Sportsmaster begins to back up into the loading bay of the chopper.

Sportsmaster: "Thanks for the workout, but I gotta fly."

Then he pauses in his firing long enough to throw M'gann into Superboy and knock both of them to the ground.

Both of them don't even move as the chopper takes off. M'gann shows the trigger that they took from Bane to Superboy with a smile. Then depresses the top.

Sportsmaster doesn't even know the explosives are there until it detonates. Setting the loading bay of the chopper on fire and blowing out the back. With that much of the chopper wreaked, Sportsmaster loses control, seeing where he's going to crash, he jumps out of the helicopter.

The chopper lands directly on the factory, destroying the whole thing.
____________________________________________
Bane can only watch as he's tied to a tree on the cliff by the exit to the tunnel. Anger showing, even through his mask.
____________________________________________
Nathan gets knocked to the ground, and Kobra's massive foot stepping onto his chest. Despite being a ninja he can't move the foot keeping him pinned.

Kobra: "I am plagued by mosquitoes!"

Kobra proclaims, glaring down at Nathan.

Nathan: "Good, because this mosquito is mighty concerted over your pain!"

He executes dual helicopter kicks to fully knock Kobra's leg off his chest, then rolls into a handstand and springs back towards the rest of the team. Nathan then Ninja Streaked towards Kobra and delivered a flying back backheel spin kick to the face.

Kobra flew back and fell to the ground. The pig talisman flew off of his neck and Nathan caught it then he regroup with the others. The six stand ready to fight, Kobra gets up and glances to the side, then steps back calmly.

Kobra: "Another time then."

Then he disappears into the shadows.

Dick attempts to follow but is shocked to find only shrubbery and darkness. He walks back to find the other five still waiting, though M'gann comes back to the ground.

Dick: "We picked the right guys to lead."

Dick tells Nathan and Kaldur sincerely.

Dick: "Automatically making you the right guys to explain this mess to Batman!"

Then he walks away laughing.

Nathan's and Kaldur can only look down in thought.
____________________________________________

Mount Justice; August 1st; 13:06 EDT

Batman: "A simple recon mission."

Batman gets within inches of Nathan's face as he berates him.

Batman: "Observe and report!" then backs off. "You'll each receive written evaluations detailing your many mistakes."

Batman walks past all six, who stand at full attention. Coming to a pause beside Superboy, who is the last one in their line.

Batman: "Until then: good job."

All of their heads snap up in shock, then look to Batman out of the corner of their eyes.

Batman: "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy."

All of them relax and stand slightly more comfortably.

Batman: "How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success."

They all watch him as he continues and starts walking away.

Batman: "And how you choose who leads determines character."

Dick smiles, and Nathan looks down at the smaller boy and does as well.
____________________________________________
Shendu: "You failed."

Sportsmaster: "I know. But all I managed to recover is a single vial of Kobra-Venom."

Sportsmaster holds it up to prove his point.

???: "Peut-être... the formula can be reverse-engineered." a projected voice says, with a slight accent. " Mias what of these heroes?" the voice comes from a screen which looks to contain only a container. "First Cadmus, then Mister Twister. Now, Santa Prisca."

???: "Once is happenstance." another agrees, his voice dark, and turning darker as he continues. "twice is coincidence. But three times is enemy action, and enemies of the Light must not stand."

The End